Baby Lily { 2020 }

Little Lily, what a gift you are to are family. The first half of the year you were content and growing and we all waited expectantly for your arrival. And before we knew it you were here with us, the final little piece to our family. You have been the absolute best thing about 2020 - a challenging year made so made easier because we had you. 

Master Quill { 2020 }

This boy of ours has grown and changed so much this year. He's all you can imagine of a two year old with endless energy, two older siblings to compete with and love on and an adventurous, mischievous spirit. We laugh that he is 'more' of everything. More food, more mess, more kisses, more cuddles, more noise, more fun, more cheekiness, more love. He is a big personality and we love the unique little person he is and all that he brings to our family. 

Miss Prim { 2020 }

Every year is a good year for our girl. Primrose brings a light and happiness to every situation and generally faces any challenge or disappointment with a shrug, recovering her happy disposition in lightening speed.  It's a pretty good way to be, especially with the effect of Covid on how we thought this year would look. 

Mr Finley { 2020 }

This has been a really fantastic year for Finley with some 'I'll never forget this' moments for him. It's pretty great to be eight and we love to see Finley really get the most out of all of his experiences. Living in a small town with such big heart gives Finley some really great opportunities and this year we have not only seen him grown taller and stronger but also in independence and ability.

Christmas 2020

Christmas was turned upside down this year like so many other plans. Covid has been really up and down this year, with lockdowns, restrictions and state boarders changing with little warning. We had planned for the Ryan family to all be together for a big and long awaited Sydney Christmas but alas it was not meant to be this year. Instead Mum, Dad and Courtney came to our place and we had a little home Christmas of our own. 

Blessed

Like so many things this year, Lily's blessing was postponed until we could attend church and have our family with us to share in our little girl's special day. She was such a little angel, all dressed in white in a vintage dress I wore as a baby and the same one that Primrose wore on her blessing day too. Mum, Dad and Courtney were able to attend. Dad participated in the blessing along with Levi, Bishop Heselhurst, Levin Flake and Michael Tomsik. The men were laughing after that she was kicking her legs and wiggling about, being that much older than a new born baby. It's been a strange year but it feels nice to be able to be back living life as we like.

Finley's Special Day

We had a lovely day as a family for Finley's eagerly awaited baptism. Covid restrictions went in place right before Finley turned eight early in the year and our plans for him turned out to be delayed for eight months. But we got there in the end. On Saturday 5th of December Finley was baptised by his Dad and it was a lovely and very powerful experience for us all. 

Wattle Baby

Bungendore is all abloom with wattle and blossoms. We have some of the most gorgeous wattle trees that are just ablaze with bright yellow sunbursts. Recently Aunty Rosie had gifted Primrose some stunning May Gibbs blossoms fabric and as the wattle emerged I knew I needed to whip it up into a dress for Miss Prim and take her to get acquainted with the wattle babies. 

1 + 1 = Happy Birthday Quill

Quill you little doggy loving, mess making, hilarious little munchkin. You are two and so full of life we aren't quite sure what to do with you. You are very easy to please so we knew if we had lots of fun, there was puppies and cake involved and you had your family with you, you would have the best day ever. 

My Flower Girls

My two flower girls were meant for one another. Primrose and I were both dreaming of another little girl for our family and to have our little Lily join us was a wish granted. Primrose whispers to me that 'our dream came true' as we tend to our sweet darling. Really I think that Primrose is the type of little girl made for having a sister and being a big sister and that in lots of ways yet to be seen, Lily was sent here especially for her. My two flower girls.

My Tribe

Eight years ago I was lucky enough to find two of the best friends a girl could ask for. Sarah, Sig and I were brought together by our first babies and all of the walks, exercise, lunches, park visits and fun we could think up together in the beautiful Bay. Those first babies are all grown up now and there are six more. The bond between them all is as strong as cousins and getting together is all adventure and fun.

Our Lily Lady

I just want to soak you in my darling girl. I know how quickly this time passes, that you won't be my newborn babe much longer and I don't want to forget just how tiny and precious your are with you soft pink lips and button nose. With your yawns and stretches, you tiny sighs and gurgles. You are just so beautiful and it has been the most lovely time just holding you in my arms and imprinting every part of you in my mind.

And Then There was Lily

From the minute her brothers and sisters laid eyes on her Lily has been adored. I think she is a very lucky little girl to have three big siblings in her life. They all race in to my room in the morning to say 'Hello Lily', in that high voice we all greet babies in and each wants their turn holding their new baby sister.

Lily Josephine

Lily Josephine Catton. I knew if we had a girl that I wanted her to have a flower name just like her sister. I think flower names are sweet and whimsical and I love them and I hope my girls do too. Levi and I probably spent the most time looking at names for this baby than ever before but our shortlist remained very flowery with Lily, Posie and Flora. Levi bought me a bouquet of flowers in the weeks leading up to the birth and the Lily's in the bunch lasted forever. We had them just at the entrance to our room and I could smell their beautiful scent when I passed them by. Maybe a little sign this baby in my belly was to be a girl and in the end Lily it was. We kept literary with Lily's middle name, Josephine for Little Women's Jo March, a dreamer, creative and independent, someone to look up to.

So here she is our 'Lily Josephine Catton' and I think it is just the perfect name for our girl.

Lily Blooms

I love birth, I think it's powerful and even magical that my body has been capable of it and brought four lives into the world. But I also think it's not all that magical when the contractions first hit and you know that it's game time. Experience has helped me recognise that's it's not all that long, it can be managed and it will end, with a baby in your arms. So this time around, my last time giving birth, I wanted to just ride the wave of the experience and get to that incredible last moment when my little baby comes into the world. Levi had a beautiful experience during my pregnancy where he had the impression that the baby would be a girl. My heart longed for another girl, especially for Primrose to have a sister but I couldn't be sure until they were in my arms. Surprises are the best and knowing I would find out who my little person was soon was such an exciting feeling that made the journey of labour all the more worthwhile. 

High Five

Our Miss Prim is five and never has a girl been so excited for this day to arrive. I tell her all the time that I just want her to stat my little Prim but she  There's something about being five, not quite a little kid anymore and being a big kid feels well with in reach. We couldn't be prouder of the five year old Primrose. 

It's Great to be Eight

Our oldest boy, wonderful Finley turned 8! We had grand plans for his birthday which happened to fall on the Easter weekend, as it occasionally does. His cousins from Queensland were coming and we had his joint baptism with Hendrix planned as well as lots of other fun to celebrate the milestone. But our plans were all turned upside down with the Covid pandemic, with lockdown hitting us just the week before. Finley was a champion through is all and we still had a wonderful Easter and birthday weekend marking his eighth birthday.

E is for Eggs

It's nice to know that you can still keep some traditions alive even while in covid-19 lock down with all the world going crazy around you! It is strange times ... we had hoped to have Tate and Hanna with us but border closures prevented that, but we still had a lovely Easter all the same.

Oh Baby

The decision to add a fourth little bebe to our family was not an easy one for Levi and I. Life is chaos already, pregnancy for me has gotten progressively harder with each little addition and we question our abilities as parents at the best of times. But for each difficultly the flip side pointed to yes - life chaos? It couldn't get much crazier. Pregnancy hard? It will be over before you know it. Not that great at parenting? The others seem okay so far. The truth is that the little niggling feeling that there was another person for our family did not go away and in the end there was no other choice for us but yes, let''s have another baby, a fourth and final addition to complete our little clowder (family of cats - isn't that cute!?). 

In the Blink of an Eye { Quill 18 Months }

This blue-eyed, gorgeous boy of ours is 18 months old and growing and changing with each passing day. We had the day just the two of us this past Thursday and it was lovely to really look into his sweet little face and watch the joy and wonder of his experiences cross it. I took him to a little local music class, where he shakes the instruments and bops from side to side with his little dance moves. Then we walked the 100 of so meters to the op shop, past lots of exciting sites like the post office, police station, a phone box, gardens, sticks and a road, all the things of little boys dreams. It makes for an adventure filled 15 minutes for Quill with the ultimate destination of morning tea and 50 cent toys at the op shop. He gets to have a snack, a play and before coming home for a rest. It was lovely to just take the time to watch him and be with him, I know before I know it he won't be my little toddler any more.

Back to It

We were all ready for back to school week, everyone was so excited and had their own start day paced through the week. Finley was first, back to school and entering into Grade 2 on Wednesday, then Primrose started at her new preschool in Bungendore Thursday, and Quill started at the Children's Cottage on Friday. A big week. Everyone was happy but very tired at the end of the day. It's so nice to be back in routine and everyone is enjoying the new school year.